Surface decoration



3932- J. c. M CARTHY SURFACE DECORATION Filed May 28. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ml, M W W WAM 4 Aug. 23, 1932. c, MCCARTHY 1,872,997

SURFACE DECORATION Filed May 28, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lZZ $162.2.

INVENTOR Patented Aug. 23, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J CLARENCE MCCARTHY, OF LANCASTER,.PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGN'OB TO ARMSTRONG CORK COMPANY, OE LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA suamcn nncona'rron Application filed ma as, 1927. Serial n6. 1a4,9aa.-

The last or top coat 7 will probably all be This invention relates to surface decoration, and more particularly to the decoration of a flexible surface covering such, for example, as the hard surfaced, iioor coverings,

a like linoleum or felt base goods, or wall coverings, which are made in sheet form, to be applied over a wall or floor.

The decoration is made to simulate the irregular color eifects of ceramic tiling, travertin and marble, such as the tile commonly known as Dutch tile. Such tiles do not have a uniform color, but have a considerable variation in color, or shades of color, on the individual tile. 7

In the accompanying drawings, illustrat-. ing certain preferred embodiments of my invention Figure -1 shows my surface decoration applied to a piece of linoleum;

Figure 2 is a top plan View showing the layers of paint applied to the linoleum;

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line TIL-III of Figure 2; and

Figure 4-shows a modified method of applying the paint.

eferring to Figure 1, there'is shown a surface decoration applied to a piece of em bossed linoleum. In forming this surface decoration, the linoleum 2 is first embossed, and is then given a ground coat 3 of paint (Figures 2 and 3). Successive layers of paint, 4, 5 and 6, preferably shades of the same color, are then applied over the ground coat 3. A top coat 7 is applied over the last coat 6 of the coats 4, 5 and 6 which are shades of the same color, the top or last coat 7 being preferably the same shade as the ground coat 3. In simulating tiling, I prefer that the ground coat 3 and the top coat 7 be of the same color and be a color which may represent mortar between the tiles. The intermediate shades 4, 5 and 6 which are of the same color preferably, may be any color ordinarily used in tiling, such as red.

The irregular mottled effect of haphazardly intermingled colors and shades of color shown in Figure 1, is preferably obtained by indin or abrading the painted surface, as

v passing the painted linoleum through an abrading machine which grinds off the paint.

removed except where it lies in depressions or embossed portions below the general plane of the decorated surface. The underlying colors will be brou ht ,to the surface in irregular patches wit shaded edges gradually merging into different shades or colors; The irre ularities naturally occurring in the thic ness of the linoleum will cause the grindmg to remove the paint coatings irregularly so that an irregular effect will be produced which will not e repeated in any portion of the decorated surface. The irregularly distributed shades of the several coats, applied intermediate the ound and top coats, 'ves the appearance-o cermaic tiling in whic varying shades appear by reason of irregularities in firing.

The top coat 7 is preferably a color which will simulate mortar, for this color will be left in the embossed portions between the tiles. The ground coat 3 is applied to give the decoration sufiicient body that the abrading process will not cut throu h to the linoleum. If the abrasion procee s through the intermediate coats to the ground coat, and-.

the ground coat is the same color as the mortar, the appearance is that of tiling in which small pits or depressions have occurred and are filled with mortar.

It will be understood that the thickness of the several coats of paint may not be more than a few thousandths of an inch, but the thickness of the sections in Figure 3 has been greatly enlarged in order to bring out the nature of the decoration.

Figure 4 shows a modified process in which several shades or several colors are applied irregularly over the surface, instead of complete coats of paint being applied over the decorated surface. For example, the ground color 3 is applied as an even coat to give a base on which variegated colors are applied. The last coat 7 covers up the variegated colors and forms the color of the interliners between the tile. The colors 4, 5 and 6 are irregularly distributed over the ground coat 3' by means of an air brush or by daubing or dropping on spots of paint. A flexible covering coated in accordance with the method. just described, is abraded in the same manner as the decoration illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 and the results are substantially the same. The variegated colors or shades of the same 8 color appear as irregular patches on the surface, merging into one another and producing an irregular effect whlch is not repeated in any portion of the decoration, due to theinherent slight irregularities in the thick- 10 ness of the linoleum which are sufficient to render the abrasion uneven, and to the irregular occurrence of the paints having different colorcharacteristics.

' The method illustrated in Figure 4 is apli'cable to flexible coverings made in sheet orm since they may be run'through an abrading machine and the irregular application of paint will necessarily produce a decoration havin no fixed color pattern, even though theabra ing and painting be done with machine re ularity. The abrading may be done by hand, however, if desired. The

irregular thickness of the material will be sufiicient to bring out irregular areas of different colors and shades of color because the coats of paint are of comparatively slight thickness.

The paints applied are preferably-colored lacquers, such as nitrocellulose lacquers, .which may be applied as a spray with an air brush. By this procedure I may produce a uniform distribution over an embossed surface without filling up the depressions. I may also provide patches of color varying in intensity, or intermingled colors. The process, involving applying a top coat the color of themortar, and abrading the surface to bring out various colorsor shades of color, is particularly effective in producing a tile pattern-in which the mortar colored paint substantially coincides with" the mortar 'oint depressions. If an attempt were made to print embossed linoleum, difliculty would be encountered in laying the paint into the derpressions so that the mortar color would exactly match the depressed portions. By applying the last coating over the whole surface and then abrading it ofl, the mortar colored paint coincides exactly with the depressions. v

The surface of the material is not necessarily embossed. The irregular color effect may be obtained by applying the coats of paint or patches of paint to a plane surface and grinding it through. After grinding, if desired,.interliners may be printed on the coating.

If the decoration is to be applied to felt 1 base material, the colors may be applied first and the material may then be embosscd,,after which the grinding operation is performed, resulting in the depressed interliners having M a layer of paint in the color of the last coating applied while the raised portions of the surface are given 3 an irregular appearance, due to the grlnding.

The invention is particular] adapted for the production of the variegate surface effect of Dutch tiling b means of applying the paints and then a rading away part of the aint. The abradin takes place irregularly ecause of the irregular thickness of the sheet material so that each tile-like space will have an irregular color effect which differs from that of any other tile-like space. The decorated sheets will be different because the 'nding will bring out irregularly the.dif-

erent paint coatings, merging one into another.

Although nitrocellulose type of lacquers are preferred because of their quick ,dryin goperties, oil paints may be used. It wil understood also that while the colors are preferably sprayed to produce merging patches of color, or even coatings upon plain or depressed surfaces, the paints may be applied with any ordinary type of coating colored intermediate layers are Worn through.

A coat of clear lacquer over the decorated floor covering will extend the life of the decoration and minimize the effects of scuffing, particularly on those portions of the decoration where the abrading has extended to the ground coat.

The word paint, as used herein, is intended to be a term of general description and not of limitation, and is intended to include color paints of the lacquer type.

My process is applicable to various types of flexible coverings and may be used to produce variegated color efiects thereon. The

process has been described with particular reference to an embossed linoleum, simulating tiling, but it will be understood that various sheet goods to be applied to walls or floors may be decorated according to my process,

with or without embossing.

While I have illustrated and described certain preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that the invention is not limited thereto, but may be otherwise practiced and embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. The process of decorating a-flexible surface covering of the felt-base-linoleum type which consists in applying superimposed layers of paint to the surface and abrading the paint to expose portions of layers of paint below the top layer.

2. The process of decorating a flexible surface covering which consists in embossing the covering, applying a ground coat of paint.

to the entire surface of the covering, making applications of paints having different color characteristics over the ground coat, applying a top coat of paint and abrading the surface to remove the top coat and portions of the under coats the portions of the top coat lying within the embossed portions being left intact.

3. The process of decorating a flexible surface covering which consists in embossing the covering, applying a ground coat of paint to the surface of the covering, applying successive coats of paint having different color characteristics, applying a top coat of paint, and abrading the paint to remove the top coat from the unembossed portions and expose the intermediate layers of paint in haphazard variegations.

4. The method of decorating a flexible surface covering which consists in embossing the covering, applying irregular patches of paints having different color characteristics thereon, applying-a top coat, and abrading the paint to remove the top coat from the unembossed portions and irregularly expose portions of the colored patches.

5. The method of decorating a flexible surface covering which consists in making superposed applications of paints having different color characteristics, and abrading the paint irregularly to produce a haphazard variegated colored decoration.

6. The method of decorating a flexible surface covering which consists in making superposed applications of paints having different color characteristics, abrading the paint irregularly to produce a haphazard variegated color decoration, and applying a coat of transparent lacquer over the colored surface thus produced.

. 7 A flexible surface covering of the feltbase-linoleum type comprising a base having superposed paint layers extending over a substantial area of the covering, at least one paint coat being discontinuous and being thinned at its edges so as to present an irregular margin whereby a lower paint layer is exposed in an irregular fashion.

8. 'A flexible surface covering of the felt base-linoleum type comprising a base having superposed paint layers, the material being embossed and paint extending into the embossed portions, at least one paint coat being discontinuous and having its edge portions thinned and terminating in irregular margins so as to expose a lower paint layer in an irregular fashion, the paint in said embossed portions being substantially continuous therein.

9. A flexible floor covering comprising a base material of the felt base-linoleum type and having the irregularities of thickness inherent in said materials, said base material having superposed paint layers over the base, a paint layer having its margins of irregular irregularities in thickness in the base material, an underlying paint coat being thus irregularly expose 10. The process of decorating a floor covering of the felt base-linoleum type having the surface irregularities inherent in such materials, which comprises making superposed applications of paints having different color characteristics, and removing paint at the high portions of the surface irregularities so as to locally expose the underlying paint coats.

11. The process of decorating hard surface flexible floor coverings, which consists in embossing the floor covering, applying superposed coats of paint havmg different color characteristics, and so removing paint at the unembossed portions as to expose the undercoats of paint while leaving the paint in the embossed portions substantially intact.

12. The process of decorating hard surface flexible floor coverings, which comprises making superposed applications of paints having different color characteristics, and removing paint irregularly so as to produce a haphazard variegated colored decoration.

' In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

J CLARENCE MCCARTHY.

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